The Pharcyde

Power 106’s Wax Only series has examined the samples used on The Pharcyde‘s iconic debut album, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde.

The project, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, is widely regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop albums of the 90s. It featured the singles “Passin’ Me By,” “Ya Mama.,” “4 Better Or 4 Worse,” and “Otha Fish.” The former peaked at No. 52 on Billboard’s Hot 100, becoming The Pharcyde’s highest-charting single to date.

Released in 1992, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde arrived during the dominant era of West Coast hip-hop. Despite that, the Los Angeles-based group presented a more light-hearted and jazzier alternative to gangsta rap. It earned them comparisons to De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, according to a feature on Who Sampled.